Pomegranates
by greentealemonade
Summary: I've been on a mythology kick and am obsessed with Hades and Persephone. I've always believed them to be lovers. A story about their love. M for sexual elements. Reviews welcome!
1. Chapter 1

He had not come to her naming ceremony, as the others had. He had long ago established his comfort in being a recluse. He sent a gift, of course, as a matter of respect; no one could ever accuse Hades of showing disrespect. But the actual social function itself he stayed away from. He wasn't really missed. His gift was presented to the child among with the others. Her father Zeus proudly exclaimed over her as his wife Hera scowled nearby. The child was not hers. It was Demeter's. Many exclamations were made over the physical perfection of the newborn. She was called Persephone.

Her mother would always refer to her as Kore, throughout the years. The maiden goddess of springtime. She spent her childhood in near idyllic perfection. She played with the wood nymphs, who braided twigs and leaves and flower buds into her curling, rich brown hair. When the child ran, flowers sprang up behind her. She was doted on by her mother. The young girl was Demeter's world. During the child's early years, the Earth celebrated a riotous bounty like it had never seen before. Demeter's joy brought the Earth prosperity in harvest, and the child brought joy to her and even the Olympians. Things were idyllic, as they can only be in Heaven.

* * *

And so it went, and so she grew. Over the years the child began to become restless. Her peaceful days began to seem dull to her. The constant company of her mother bore down on Persephone like a weight. As a young woman, she felt she was missing something. She would take long walks in the forest on her own. These were her favorite times. She liked to visit the families of animals, which she adored. Animals loved Persephone. The rabbits would hop to her, standing on their hind legs, until she picked them up, one by one, to stroke. Everyone got a turn. The deer would nuzzle against her shoulders, the babies hobbling up to her on their twig-branch legs and new, unsteady hooves. She watched baby animal after baby animal learn the ways of the wild. The birds would sing when she was nearby, the bees buzz happily, the snakes would curl peacefully at her feet. Persephone liked the snakes, which she knew were treated widely with fear and disgust. She was an empathetic girl. She would pick up the snakes and stroke them, let them twine themselves around her arms and shoulders and rest, basking in the sun and the warmth of her goddess skin, the peace at being accepted for what they were in their content, half-closed eyes.

"It is alright", she would often whisper, stroking the snakes' cool scales, "I think you are majestic."

* * *

Persephone was the goddess of springtime, but what her mother Demeter failed to realize that springtime was the season of procreation. Of mating. Her daughter embodied this aspect of the season as well, and exuded a sleepy sensuality as she grew that made her to be nearly as irresistible as Aphrodite. Demeter, however, wanted her daughter to remain a maiden forever. To be unsullied by the hands of another. In Demeter's mind, spring was as virginal as the buds that sprung forth to bloom. New, precious, untouched. She wished her daughter to be this way. Pure as the new season.

What Demeter did not know was that Persephone was already changing. Like the season she had dominion over, the child was temperamental. One minute she was sunny, vibrant. The next she was yelling, screaming, lashing out, pouring down rain. Her mood changed as quickly as the weather. Because she was beautiful and the daughter of two gods, she had been coddled all her life. This led her to be a little impudent by nature. She was not the weak and docile young ting her mother had raised her to be. She was evolving into a woman.

* * *

Persephone adored talking with the older gods, her aunts and uncles and cousins. She was especially fond of her Aunt Hera. The friendship the two developed amused everyone, considering how much Hera had hated the child at first.

After she found out about Persephone's conception, Hera flew into one of her usual jealous rages, hurling things at Zeus, screaming.

"Traitor! Scum! Worthless, worthless husband!"

But unlike Zeus' many other conquests, Hera could not to anything to harm neither mother nor unborn child. Demeter was a goddess, not a mortal. And, being the issue of two gods, the child would be one as well. Hera could not touch either of them.

After Persephone grew, and her mother became more and more wearisome to her, she sought out the other female gods for answers. Since Hera was the goddess of marriage, Persephone went to her to ask her about what happened in the marriage bed. When the child (who was no child anymore) first arrived at her private garden, Hera was filled with disgust and irritation. Persephone showed her all the proper respect, and when she explained to Hera that she had come for answers, Hera was all too happy to give them to her. She knew that passing this knowledge to the child would anger Demeter, whom she was still bitter against. However, an odd thing happened as time went on. Persephone began to visit her and aunt more and more, until at last a begrudging Hera admitted that she liked the girl's company. _The child is certainly not dim, like that mother of hers_, she often thought to herself. Indeed, she possessed such a keen wit that she could be mistaken for a daughter of Athena. Hera told Persephone this and made the child flush with pride.

* * *

Now that Persephone had reached her womanhood, suitors were vying for her hand. One of the most admirable among them was her cousin, Apollo. He presented Persephone with the finest jewelry made from fragments of the sun, a fine chariot of her own, and hundreds of golden gowns.

Persephone disliked the heat and brightness of the sun jewelry, and thought that gold did not compliment her skin. The chariot she liked, as it gave her more independent and a way to travel without her mother. But what pleased her most of all about the entire ordeal was that others were noticing her long-discovered readiness to mate. Her new favorite thing was to stroll in the forest and watch the bees pollinate the flowers. It seemed so beautiful to her. All that light golden dust and the bees flying from flower to flower, creating new life where once there was none.

* * *

Demeter, of course, was adamant in her refusal of her daughters many suitors. "Persephone will only marry when- no, _if_- I wish it. Until then she is to remain a maid untouched," Demeter would coldly say to suitor after suitor, even the mighty Apollo. This annoyed Hera, who had long since considered herself Persephone's co-conspirator. She talked it over in her garden one afternoon with her closest friend among the goddesses, Aphrodite. Hera liked Aphrodite. She was good company; not dull and bookish like Athena or tomboyish and wild like young Artemis. And, unlike nearly other female, god or mortal, Aphrodite had no interest in Hera's husband. She was content in her affair with Ares and countless mortal men, but left the king of gods be. Hera had always liked her for this.

"It's a shame, really," said Aphrodite, sipping at her tea. "Never have I seen such a young woman ready for love. The things that child has asked me! And being a beauty like she is, it really is a waste if that mother of hers doesn't let her marry. Why, it would be as bad of a waste as poor Artemis."

Hera nodded sadly. Artemis was a sore spot with the two of them. Being as beautiful as she was, the two goddesses had tried to take Artemis under their wings. Artemis had refused them point blank, stating that she was happier running wild in the woods (as they saw it) than becoming a prim and majestic goddess.

"Still, you know the future of love for everyone, do you not? Is there a man in her future?" Hera asked. Aphrodite furrowed her lovely forehead.

"I see the potential for love there, but the lover himself is a fog to me. This rarely happens, but it is not impossible. I cannot see because there are many paths upon which the girl may tread." Aphrodite began to absentmindedly twirl a piece of perfect golden hair around her finger. "It will play out as an interesting love story, no doubt. What about you? Can you see marriage in her future?"

"Like you, it is vague. I honestly cannot tell if the child will enter a marriage or not. I asked you hoping for more insight." Hera sighed, resting her cheek against her hand. She examined her other hand; her perfect nails, her beautiful porcelain skin.

"Look at the two of us worrying as if she were our own daughter!" laughed Aphrodite, pouring herself another cup of tea. Hera seldom laughed, but she gave her friend one of the low, close-lipped smiles that she favored. "Silly isn't it? And to think I despised the little thing at her birth."

"You despised her before her birth!"

The two goddesses then moved on to other topics; Aphrodite's usual fights with her husband, Hephaestus, and the recent scandal between Apollo and a mortal girl. Meanwhile, as the sun set on Earth below, Persephone would make her first (of many) secret trysts into the night.

* * *

After the sun set, her mother slept. Persephone could not understand how she did this. Perhaps it was the busy job of making the whole earth grow. Or perhaps it was because her mother had never liked the night. Persephone loved night. She would often talk with the moon goddess, Selene, when she was unable to sleep. But tonight she wanted to explore the night on Earth, see the creatures that moved in it. But her mother would never allow Persephone to venture to Earth at night without her. So Persephone decided to sneak away.

Persephone quietly slipped out of her room. She crept past her mother's door and made her way out of their palace. She rigged her chariot outside and wondered where she wanted to go. Selene smiled down at her.

"Going somewhere, Sephie?" she whispered. Persephone smiled. Selene was her closest friend, a younger goddess like her, still wild and young. She provided Persephone with a friend similar to herself, where stately Hera and sensual Aphrodite could sometimes be unable to relate. Even if Selene was too drowsy to be much fun during the day, she was a loyal and lovely companion.

"Yes," Persephone whispered back excitedly. "You wont tell on me will you Selene?"

"You know me, silent as the night." Selene giggled. Persephone giggled with her, feeling an infectious excitement bubble up. She climbed into her chariot.

"So long Selene, I'll come see you when I get home."

"Goodbye Sephie! Be careful!" Selene suddenly grew solemn. "Strange things can happen in the night, not all of them good."

Persephone shivered, chilled suddenly. "Duly noted. Don't worry Selene. I'll be alright!" And with that, she climbed into her carriage and rode into the night.

Not knowing where else to start, Persephone made her way to the forest, her favorite forest. She did not know that there was such an array of different creatures that only poked their heads out at night. Bats and owls, she had never seen an owl before. _Such beautiful things_, she thought, as a brilliant tawny owl landed beside her and hooted amicably. She reached out a long, pale finger to stroke his feathers, cooing softly to him. She heard a twig snap behind her. She turned her head, expecting to see another new animal, and was so startled to see a man there that she let out a small and gasping "oh!"

"I apologize miss, for having obviously startled you," said the man, with a bow of his head. His voice was low, deep, and slightly cold. She couldn't make out his features in the darkness, but his figure was tall, broad shouldered, powerfully built. Persephone felt a jump of fear rise to her throat.

"I-it's alright" she squeaked, as the owl, startled, flew away. She watched it go and wondered if she should flee along with it.

The man must have sensed her alarm, because he said, "No need to be frightened, miss. I will leave you be." He bowed his head to her again and started to walk in the opposite direction.

"Wait!" Persephone called out, not exactly knowing why. He turned and she caught a glimpse of his profile in the moonlight, his eyes covered in shadow. Her stomach jumped, but in a different way this time. "W-what is your name?" she asked.

From his turned head she saw the curve of a small smile, and when she blinked, he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Persephone sighed, fidgeting in her throne. Since meeting the mysterious man in the woods several nights ago, her whole body had been filled with a jumpy restlessness, as well as an odd ache. She had snuck away the next three nights after her original encounter with him, and gone to the same forest, the same clearing, hoping to see him. A dark part of her that had awoken deep inside her absolutely yearned to see him. But he did not come.

She had told Selene about him when she returned, asked if she had seen who the man was. After all, the Earth at night was Selene's expertise; she had knowledge and dominion of all the creatures that came and went after the sunset.

"I'm sorry Sephie!" wailed Selene when Persephone asked her. "I was-I was…" and Selene trailed off in another pitiful, hushed wail.

Persephone knew what Selene had been doing. Selene had recently fallen hopelessly in love with a mortal, Endymion. A shepherd, he would sleep near his flock in the fields at night. She would watch him, sometimes even being bold enough to travel to Earth to sit beside him. Persephone wondered if she had done more.

"It's alright Selene. I'm going to try and find him again. I have to, or I think I might go mad."

But the mysterious man was nowhere to be found, and Persephone thought she might very well be going mad indeed. She was restless, sullen, and listless all at once. She found no joy in anything, not even talking with Hera or Aphrodite or Selene. Nor could she focus on anything, her mind always slipping away longingly to the man in the shadows. Demeter fretted over her daughter, at a complete loss for why her darling Kore was acting this way. Aphrodite, however, realized immediately that Persephone was acutely lovesick.

"Our little bud may finally be in bloom," Aphrodite confided in Hera once afternoon when they went to the baths together. Hera merely looked at Aphrodite quizzically, rubbing scented oils into her skin and hair.

"Persephone. The girl is absolutely lovesick. I've seen it more times than I could say. But this seems to be a particularly strong case."

Hera immediately stopped what she was doing and turned her head. "What? How can you tell?" she demanded. Aphrodite shrugged.

"It's as plain day! The poor thing has been so moody and dreary, an absolute mess to be honest. Her _darling_ mother is afraid that her little lamb is ill and is trying everything to lift her spirits."

"Who is he? The man?"

"That I still don't know."

"Could it be someone here, in Olympus?"

"Possibly, we will have to observe the girl and see. But who really is there? There's Apollo, who has shown keen interest in her, but she has never really returned that interest before. There's my husband, who" Aphrodite scoffed contemptibly, "is _not_ a possibility in the slightest. There's Ares, but I know enough of his comings and goings to know he hasn't tried to court her. After all why would he? He has me." She said the last sentence rather possessively then continued, "There's Hermes, who has shown brief, passing interest in the child, so perhaps. There's Helios, who is a contender, for he is the sun and she is the spring. Besides, him and his sisters are more similar to Persephone in age and inclination. There's Poseidon, whom I believe hasn't even really spoken to the child since her naming. There's Dionysus, a playboy. And that's all. If it is not one of them, perhaps a mortal."

Hera nodded, working lotions through her long, chestnut hair. "That could be a possibility. It would explain why the child would be so gloomy. She believes they will never be together."

"Well if he's mortal then they certainly cant marry."

"I don't believe that mother of hers will even _let_ her marry!"

"Perhaps with the right persuasion!"

But as soon as Aphrodite said it, they both burst into fits of laughter. They knew Demeter. She would never let the poor child leave her side.

* * *

"Kore? Kore?! Where are you my darling?"

Persephone winced at her mother's voice, sinking deeper into the bath. Unable to calm her burning mind, she had snuck away from her mother as she made her daily rounds throughout the fields of Earth. She had returned to their palace and had drawn a bath, hoping the hot water might ease her troubled thoughts. She had also, in the back of her mind, in that new deep and dark part of her, given some thought to trying one of the many explicit things Aphrodite had told her about. The only act of love that could be preformed alone. "But don't tell your mother I told you!" Aphrodite would add hastily, as Persephone took in what she said, mouth agape.

But now her mother was here, and there was no way she could try it now. She angrily climbed out of the tub, wrapping a towel around her now womanly body. As her mother's voice grew nearer, she called out exasperatedly, "I'm in here mother!"

Her mother appeared instantly, rushing into the room, hugging and crying that Persephone had scared her, and not to run off like that, it was dangerous, she was just a child.

"I'm not a child anymore mother", Persephone said as calmly as she could. She wrenched herself away from her mothers grasp and reached for her clothes. "I'd like to get dressed now if you don't mind."

Her mother looked at her, puzzled. "What do you mean, Kore? You'll always be my little girl," she said, reaching out to tuck a strand of Persephone's wet hair behind her ear. Persephone let her do it, but continued,  
"I want you to stop treating me like a little girl. I am a goddess."

"Of course you are darling. Come now, get dressed. I'll take you to play with the wood nymphs before sundown."

Persephone felt close to exasperated tears. Her mother did not understand, she would never understand. It was like she looked at her daughter and still saw the pudgy baby chasing after butterflies in the garden.

Too weary to fight her mother off, Persephone merely nodded. Pacified, Demeter gave her daughter a sunny smile and left so Persephone could dress. Which she did. And when she was finished, she went with her mother to visit the nymphs like an obedient daughter. And when she realized that she no longer liked it when the nymphs tangled leaves and twigs and flower buds into her curling hair, she remained silent.

* * *

That night, as Persephone lay in her bed, she thought of what to do. She could ask her father, Zeus, for help. He had control over all the gods, including her mother. But what would she say? If she went to her father saying she wanted to be married, he would try and marry her off to Apollo or one of the other Olympians. _Maybe it wouldn't be so bad_, she tried to tell herself. After all, Apollo was not unkind. He would be a good husband to her, even if he was constantly having affairs with mortal women. And when they were in the marriage bed, she could always think of the dark-haired man.

But Persephone knew that wouldn't be enough for her. Growing up so pampered had lead Persephone to be a bit selfish by nature, she wanted someone who loved her and _only_ her. Even if she didn't love Apollo, she knew his affairs would drive her mad. Besides, she knew that bedding him would not be the same as it would be with the dark-haired man.

_Listen to me!_ she thought angrily, _Going on and on like this in my head when I don't even know the mans name, or if he is mortal or not. Why, he could be an adulterer himself. He could be the worst person in the world. He may already even be married! _

With that last thought, her heart sunk. Suppose he was already married. Suppose the worst, that he was _mortal _and already married. Suppose his heart belonged to another. All these thoughts filled Persephone with more and more dread until she finally burst into tears.

"This is mad!" she whispered aloud, "Am I doomed to spend the rest of my immortal life pining over this man that I don't even know?!"

Suddenly, Persephone heard a soft rapping on her window. She sat up, wondering if she had imagined it. No, there it was again. She crept out of bed and drew back her curtains. There was Selene at the windowsill.

"Sephie!" she whispered excitedly as Persephone opened the windows. "I have news!"

"What is it?" asked Persephone; already assuming it had something to do with Endymion. But Selene was a welcome distraction from her own miserable thoughts.

"Remember how you met the man in the forest all those weeks ago? Well, I've been keeping a bit of a watch on it ever since, even after you stopped looking for him, just to see if he returned some night. Well, I just saw someone go into the forest!"

Persephone's breath became heavy as her heart pounded in her chest. The excitement made her want to cry out, but she had to make sure Selene had seen the right man. "What did he look like Selene?" she demanded, helping Selene down as she climbed into Persephone's room.

"Well, I couldn't see his face, which I know isn't very helpful. But he was tall, he had broad shoulders, he wasn't a thin man, but he wasn't as big as Zeus either…does that help at all? Oh, and he had very dark, dark hair."

Persephone couldn't hold in her excitement any longer. Here she had been crying only minutes before, and now fate quite literally came to her window. She jumped up and down excitedly. "Oh Selene, I think its him! I think it is!"

"Go then, Sephie! Hurry! I need to get back to my post, and I'll keep a watch on you, in case it isn't the man or something were to happen."

Persephone embraced her friend. "Oh Selene! You are the best of friends! Thank you! Thank you!"

* * *

Persephone ventured through the forest, acquiring a small parade of creatures in her wake. She felt like her cousin Artemis, leading a hunt. Oh, but where was he. Where _was_ he?

Finally, after what seemed like ages to Persephone, she saw something move out of the corner of her eye, too tall to be any sort of animal. She knew. She turned immediately.

"Wait, please wait!" she called, but the figure, continued o recede into the distance. Finally, summoning up as much godly steel into her voice as she could muster, she said, "I command you to stop!"

The figure froze. Not turning around, he called out, "Be careful of what and whom you command, miss." It was not said threateningly, more of a suggestion. But the voice intimidated and excited her all it once. Because it was the same voice. That deep, low, slightly cold voice. She knew.

"I-I am Persephone! Goddess of Spring!" she squeaked. "And I command to know your name!"

Suddenly, he was directly before her. Standing nearly a full foot taller than she, dark hair and beard neatly trimmed, features sharp and exquisite, mouth arched in a chilling but beautiful smile.

"Well, since you asked you shall know. I am Hades. Lord of the Dead."


	3. Intermission- Authors Note

_**Intermission- Author's Note**_

Hey guys! I'm really excited over the reviews and attention this story has gotten so far, if you have any suggestions please let me know! Sorry about how short the last chapter was, when I write the story I don't divide it into chapters, and therefore have to find somewhere to divide it up when I post it. Also, I have trouble writing really long things, I tend to keep things simple, but if this bothers anybody let me know and I'll try to work on it! The next chapter will definitely be longer. **And would anybody hate me if I did a lemon**?

Thanks for reading, keep posting reviews!


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: _THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS A LEMON_. If this makes you uncomfortable, please do not read the chapter. I feel awkward writing lemons but I did my best, enjoy!**

* * *

Persephone suddenly grew dizzy. Hades?! _Hades_?! This was the man she had longed for all this time?

She had heard about Hades, gathering pieces of information here and there from the other Olympians. He never came to Mount Olympus, hence why she did not recognize him. He judged dead souls and gave them their fate. He inhabited a world more terrifying than she could conceive. Her world, her dominion, was all light and life and things being born. His was the opposite of that. All the other gods seemed wary of him, or even outright frightened.

She stumbled forward, and he swiftly caught her. His arms were strong. She looked up at him. He was looking away from her. He released her immediately.

"You see child," he mumbled, still not meeting her gaze, "Do not ask what you do not wish to know. I will take my leave now. Good night."

"Wait, no! Please wait!"

He looked confused. With a bit of irritation in his voice, he snapped, "What is it that you want, child?"

Persephone winced. He softened slightly, his shoulders dropping a bit. But his face was still steely.

"I-I…couldn't you stay a little longer? You're another god, and I do not even know you." It was a flimsy excuse, she knew. But if he left now, she knew with absolute certainty she'd never see him again. And even knowing who he was, she knew that her heart would break if that were to be the case.

"I do not think that is wise. Goodnight."

"Why not?"

"You should not ask so many questions, even if you are a goddess, child. If you were not such a naïve thing, I would not be so forgiving. Now, goodnight."

"I'm not naïve! I swear to you! Please wait! I am-"

Suddenly, his face was inches away from hers. "_Do not tempt me child_," he said in a chilling voice that would undoubtedly have struck terror into the heart of any other being that heard it. But not Persephone. With that sentence, she felt a sudden surge of hope._ She tempted him_. Her body moved and she followed. She leaned forward slightly and kissed him.

He pulled away the second their lips touched, shocked. His previous composure had fallen away; he looked at her with disbelief.

"Foolish girl! W-why would you do such a thing?"

She looked up at him, her green eyes smoldering. He met her gaze and what he saw there stunned him. Suddenly, she removed the outer robe she had hastily donned over her sheer nightgown. In the moonlight, the nightgown was as transparent as water. He quickly averted his gaze.

"This is not-"

She put a finger on his lips. Tears were brimming in her eyes and she did not exactly know why. "Take me," she whispered to him. "Please, take me."

"Ch-child-"

"Persephone. Please."

"Persephone. I have avoided coming back to these woods for that exact reason. You are a gentle being. I am a thing of darkness. As soon as I laid eyes on you, I have wanted nothing more than to…you are the most exquisite beauty I have ever seen…a maiden of incomparable beauty...but you are so delicate. That is why I must see no more of you. You tempt me too greatly. I have no wish to harm you. You do not know what you ask." His face was filed with complete agony. "I only came back tonight after I was certain you had stopped coming."

"I've been searching for you. You have been all I can think about. I want you. I have been in absolute misery wondering if I'd ever see you again. I've been mad with longing."

He shook his head; as if he did not believe the words he was hearing. "You are a thing of light, and I dwell in shadow. I am sorry, I am only trying to protect you."

It was then that Persephone reached forward and took hold of the part of him that Aphrodite described. It was already stiff, as the goddess of love had said it would be before two became one. Hades let out a strangled moan as Persephone looked into his eyes once more.

"Take me. Please."

And with that he could take no more. He grabbed her to him and his mouth met hers for their first true kiss.

Persephone was weak at the knees as he filled her mouth with his tongue, with a firm grip on her long, dark hair. He pulled away and looked at her. His gaze held a wild, bottomless passion that made Persephone throb with need. "You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen," he whispered, and she blushed furiously. He grabbed her face and pulled it to him again for a quick, explosive kiss before beginning to trail kisses along her jawbone, and then down to her neck. She moaned and he trailed his tongue from her neck to her collarbone, then squealed as he bit the skin sharply.

Suddenly, in one deft movement, Hades picked up Persephone and carried her, bridal style, to a nearby clearing, illuminated by the moon. He laid her down gently, but what followed was anything but gentle.

With one flick of his hand, Persephone's nightgown was gone. He straddled her and greedily took in the body underneath him, bathed in moonlight. Persephone felt the glow of the moon on her skin, the soft grass underneath, and the wetness down below that only increased as he continued to devour her with his eyes. She felt so free.

Suddenly, he lowered his mouth around one of her small, perky nipples and bit. She let out a sharp squeal at the pleasure she felt along with the little pinprick of pain. He raised his eyes to meet hers, smiling. "What do you think?" he asked in his low voice. "Do you like that?"

"Yes," Persephone whispered, and he smiled wickedly and lowered his head once more. She moaned and writhed beneath him and he sucked hard on her nipple, pinching the other one in between his thumb and forefinger. As the sensations Persephone reached up and pulled his hair, bringing his head closer to her body. He released her nipples from his mouth and hand and smiled bemusedly at her.

"Now now, don't be too feisty with those hands." He snapped his fingers and suddenly black binding appeared on her wrists, pinning them to the ground above her head. "Or you wont get to use them", he finished, barely a breath in her ear.

With that, Hades lowered his head to the wetness between her legs, teasing the area with his tongue. She bucked her hips, pressing her need against his tongue. He smirked. "Aren't you an insatiable little thing?" he whispered, tweaking her nipple.

As he teased her opening with the tip of his tongue, he began to rub his thumb against a spot slightly above it. Persephone squeaked, growing dizzy with pleasure. Aphrodite had told her about this spot, the spot his thumb was against, where most females received their greatest pleasure.

"You're so wet", he whispered into her, the low rumble of his voice and the sight of his tongue on her vagina were nearly too much to bear. As he continued to rub her in slow circle, and continued to lick at her lower lips, she felt herself grow light-headed and shaky. Then, he switched, rubbing his tongue against the spot where his thumb once was and gently pumping a finger in and out of her. She whimpered in pleasure the deeper his finger went, his tongue against that sensetiv mound of flesh. He then slipped a second finger in her, causing her to wince at the stretch. The pain evaporated quickly though, and by the time he had three fingers inside her, she was close to her climax.

Suddenly, he stopped. Persephone whimpered, needing the warmth of his tongue and hand back against her.

"Patience, be a good girl", he whispered, "I'm not finished with you yet. I will decide when you reach your pleasure." He kissed her deep, and she could taste herself on his damp lips. She shivered.

He snapped his fingers and the restraints on her wrists her gone. Such was her pleasure that she'd forgotten them. With another flick of his hand, he removed his own clothes. Persephone gazed at his powerful body, a rapt expression on her face. Every curve of muscle was perfect. And then there was the male part of him, standing stiff and larger than Persephone imagined. She reached up slowly and touched it, without the cover of clothing. The skin was smooth. Hades inhaled sharply and closed his eyes.

"It's enormous," she whispered, stunned. He chuckled. "Is it?" he drew in another labored breath and Persephone picked up the speed of her touch, stroking him up and down. She smiled. She liked that she could make him feel pleasure. She wanted to make him feel even more.

"May…may I put my mouth on it?" she asked. He let out a rumble of laughter that startled her. "You don't even need to ask," he moaned, moving to stand upright. She sat up, crouched on her knees, and tentatively wrapped her lips around the tip.

The effect was immediate. He let out a low moan as she continued to suck on the tip, fluttering her tongue against the underside. Tentatively, she began to slide it in deeper. Every time she did, he moaned. He put his hands in her hair. He was too big for Persephone to fit all of him inside her mouth, so she went as far as she could. He bucked his hips against her mouth, and with every moan Persephone felt a surge of pride she could bring him to this pleasure.

"T-that's enough…" he said, gently lifting her mouth off of him. He cupped her face in his hands.

"I…I want to take you now. Are you sure you want this?" he asked, his hands shaking a little. Persephone nodded and rubbed her cheek against his palm. He grew suddenly serious.

"Lie down then. I will do my best to try and maintain control so I do not hurt you. But just know, there will be pain at the beginning."

Persephone felt a little jolt of nervousness, but nodded anyway, seriously. "That's alright," she said, laying back down on the ground, positioning herself. Legs apart, knees nearly next to her ears, she looked up at him. He had a strange look on his face. He touched her cheek, very tenderly. With his other hand he guided himself into her. She could feel the tip rubbing against her opening, sighing at the sensation.

Suddenly, a different sensation. She felt a sharp pain as he pushed the tip inside her. She gasped softly, she could not help it. He glanced at her, concerned. She nodded at him to keep going. He slowly continued to insert himself. She whimpered a bit at the pain. Wordlessly, he gave her his hand to bite down on. She bit.

He was obviously in ecstasy. She could tell by his face. He could not help it. The lovely being beneath him, the way her body stretched to accommodate him. about half of him inside her, he slowly began to thrust. Persephone bit his hand harder at every sharp stab of pain. She was sure that if gods could bleed, his hand would certainly be bleeding.

He began to thrust into her harder, faster. She bore down on his hand to stand the pain. But now, on the other side of the pain, there was a faint light, a distant echo of pleasure. She tried to hold onto that as he pushed himself even deeper.

Suddenly, with a sharp stab, he was fully inside her. She let out a squeak of pain, but he did not meet her eyes. He was somewhere else entirely, lost in ecstasy, thrusting fiercely into her. She remembered what he had said to her, about trying not to lose control. He seemed to have lost it now.

As her body grew more used to him, the pain began to subside until it was only little distant waves. Instead, Persephone was now acutely aware of how good it felt when he slammed himself into her core, as deep inside of her as he could possibly be.

Suddenly, swiftly, he flipped them over so that he was on the ground and she was on top of him, riding him. he put his hands on her hips and guided her movements, helping her along by thrusting into her. Persephone quickly found her rhythm, and soon she was riding him, up and down, going deeper still into her, hitting her center…

Persephone's legs began to shake, her core clenching around him, and Hades knew she was reaching her climax. Finally, with a squeal that seemed to be ripped from the back of her throat, she came, the rush of warmth that surrounded him while inside her prompted his own release.

She was still light-headed as he came inside her, moaning gloriously as he filled her. His hands dropped from her sides as his climax drew to a close.

She leaned forward, resting her cheek against his chest. The two lay, breathing in rhythm, covered in sweat and filled with satisfaction.

"Hades, Lord of the Dead", she whispered. He chuckled.


	5. Chapter 4

Aphrodite's palace in Olympus was by far one of its most beautiful architectural feats. It glistened, made of mother-of-pearl, and rippled like water in the sunlight. The inside was all marble and peach and cream-colored furniture. Her sitting room, just to the right of her grand entryway, was Aphrodite's favorite room besides her own. Bearing two enormous, comfortable peach sofas, a table made of pearl and inlaid with opals on the sides, and a white chaise lounge by the picture window overlooking the garden, the room was absolute heaven and perfect for entertaining.

"You're giving me an itch to redecorate," remarked Hera as a robotic servant (rose-gold, made by Hephaestus) led the two goddesses to the sitting room, and another appeared bearing a tray of tea and small cakes. "However, Zeus is so picky about how his palace should look. Mostly I have to present my ideas in a way that makes him think they are his own. Which isn't hard, I admit. Still, you're fortunate your husband gives you considerable autonomy in how you decorate your home."

Aphrodite winced. "Perhaps. However, I would trade beautiful surroundings for a husband who…no matter. Anyway, what I've been dying to ask you is if you've noticed the differences in our little dove."

"Persephone? Undoubtedly! The girl is absolutely ecstatic. Singing, laughing, flowers shooting up everywhere. Did you see her at yesterday Council? She was glowing!"

"Indeed, so I think," said Aphrodite, leaning in with a sly grin on her face, "I think she and her lover have become a little intimate, or at least that is how it appears."

Hera gasped, setting her teacup on the table and leaning in closer to her friend, her chocolate-brown curls bouncing. "How can you tell?" she whispered.

"My dear, isn't it obvious? Don't you remember how excited you were the first time you went to bed with a man? Nothing can put a smile on a girls face like intimacy can, that's for certain." Aphrodite paused to take a sip of her tea. "Besides", she continued, "I pushed a little luck in love the poor girl's way. I gave her fortune in being able to find her lover when she sought him out. And it looks like the seeking paid off. Yes, I would bet my golden girdle that the two are intimate."

"But who _is_ he?"

Aphrodite sighed sadly. "That I still don't know. And I cant bring myself to spy on the little darling, I'm not that wicked. I say, let the whole thing play out and we'll know soon enough."

Hera sighed, leaning back in her seat. "I suppose you're right. But how are you not _dying_ with curiosity?"

"I_ am _dearest, trust me," Aphrodite assured her. "But we'll just have to wait and see."

* * *

Indeed, Persephone was glowing. The weather on Earth matched her mood, flowers sprung up in once-barren lands, plentiful sunshine as Persephone went singing through her garden, gentle showers as she dreamt of her new lover.

When they could not meet, they left notes with the woodland animals in what had become "their" forest. The particular tawny owl that Persephone had met on her first nighttime outing had taken a shine to the two of them, and more than often he was their messenger.

One night, after some particularly passionate lovemaking, she turned to him as they lay together on the forest floor. He was absentmindedly twisting her hair around his fingers, staring off into the distance with a contented expression that made her heart burst.

"Hades?"

"Yes my dear?" he had begun to bestow upon her little terms of endearment. She smiled shyly.

"What brought you to the forest that first night I saw you?"

"It is the only time I dare walk Earth", he said in his usual low rumble. "The night animals are not afraid. Besides…it saves me from interacting with the others." She knew he meant the Olympians. He turned to look at her, and touched her nose with the tip of his finger. "People fear what they do not understand, little one." She grabbed his hand and began to kiss his knuckles as he continued. "Death is as natural as the sky and sea my two brothers have dominion over. As natural as the plants your mother grows. As natural as the flowers you bring to bloom. Yet since it is a change from their routine, mortals fear it. We grow comfortable in our ways. In order to escape fear we must constantly evolve." He furrowed his brow. "Ah, but perhaps one could say the same about me. I have grown so used to solitude, so used to darkness, I do not even try and interact with the other gods anymore."

"You interact with me," Persephone offered, gazing up at him. He smiled at her.

"That is true, little one. You are my sun, the light of my life. More than the physical aspect, your company is what truly brings me joy."

Indeed, the two had an odd dichotomy that worked well. Persephone was light and cheerful and temperamental, where he was cold and calculating and calm. And while he was never very verbose, he would often share his most private thoughts with her, as if she was an extension of his own mind.

* * *

Persephone hummed as she sat at her mirror, braiding daises into her dark hair. She had just returned from the forest where, (without her mother noticing) she had attached a note to the owl telling Hades she couldn't meet that night. Dionysus was throwing a celebration at his palace (for no particular reason, as usual, other than to give the Olympians something to do) and her absence would definitely be noticed if she were not to attend. And while she longed to spend the night in her lovers arms, it wasn't like before, where she was afraid she'd never see him again. She had him.

Yes she certainly had him, she smiled proudly as she replayed some of her favorite intimate moments with him in her mind. Like the most recent time, where he had taken her from behind. She shivered with longing.

"Kore darling! Are you ready to leave?"

Her mother entered, wearing a gown of sheer, light green. She wore her usual wreath of roses in her golden hair. Demeter was a beautiful woman; Persephone could see why Zeus had courted her. Still, the thought of her mother doing what she and Hades had done made Persephone uncomfortable to say the least.

"Yes mother," she said, collecting herself and flashing an absent smile. She finished tying her hair and rose gracefully, dressed in a gown of pure white. Her mother looked at her with tears in her eyes.

"Oh my beautiful Kore," she grabbed Persephone in a strangling embrace. For such a slim woman, Demeter was deceptively strong. Persephone grimaced. "I'm so glad you're feeling well again. I knew that sad thing wasn't my Kore."

_I'm not Kore_, thought Persephone. _I'm no longer a maid untouched. _But she merely smiled blankly at her mother as Demeter pulled away and patted Persephone's cheek, tears in her eyes.

* * *

Dionysus knew how to entertain, and quite often he would fill his garden with torches made of white flame and fill his ornate fountains with wine. There, the Olympians would romp, get drunk, and (in Persephone's opinion) make fools of themselves.

"Could I have produced a more beautiful daughter?" Zeus roared, throwing an arm around a reluctant Persephone. "I think not! She's as beautiful as a flower in springtime! And just as ready to bloom…" Persephone jumped. She knew her father was a bit of an…_amorous_ man, but _surely_ not…surely not _her_…

"There you are darling!" Hera swooped in, swiping Zeus away and freeing Persephone. "I was just getting you some more wine. Why don't we take a walk in the vineyards?" The stream of her chatter faded as she lead Zeus away, not looking back at Persephone. She wondered with a sick feeling in her stomach if her Aunt was angry with her now.

"Don't worry, she knows it wasn't your fault my dove."

Persephone turned. Aphrodite, radiant in a gown of deep red, stood behind her, empty wineglass in hand. Her cheeks were flushed and her blue eyes were sparkling. Persephone wondered, as she had time and time again, how it was that someone could be so beautiful.

"How are you my darling?" asked Aphrodite, draping a jewel-adorned arm around Persephone. Persephone opened her mouth to speak when Ares walked up, two full wineglasses in his hand. He handed one to Aphrodite, and slipped an arm around her waist. He smiled at Persephone, who smiled back, but she had always felt ill at ease with Ares. She thought he was vain and a brute, she disliked battles and bloodshed. But, as she had learned, love was blind (after all, her own lover was the King of the Dead). And Aphrodite was deeply in love with Ares. And, as far as Persephone could tell, he was in love with Aphrodite as well (but then, who wasn't?).

"I'm wonderful, thank you. If you'll excuse me though, I'm going to find my mother." Persephone would do nothing but the sort, but it was the only excuse she could think of. Luckily, as she walked in the opposite direction of Aphrodite and Ares, she immediately spotted Selene's silvery blonde hair among the crowd and hurried towards her.

"Selene!"

"Sephie!"

The two friends embraced lie they hadn't seen each other in a years, when Persephone had visited Selene only the night before. Selene was the only one who knew the identity of Persephone's lover. After her and Hades' initial night together, she had told Selene everything in excited whispers as Selene got ready to retire for the day and make room in the sky for her sister, Eos. Selene had been horrified at first, but promised not to tell a soul. As time went on, and Persephone described to Selene how gentle Hades was to her, she grew more comfortable with the idea and encouraged the two as lovers.

"Hello Eos, Helios", Persephone greeted Selene's brother and sister, who both smiled and greeted her warmly. Eos, the goddess of the dawn, looked fresh and beautiful in a gown of peachy pink, her light red hair twisted up, held in place with a gold circlet. Helios, the god of the sun, who worked closely with Apollo, was as handsome as ever with his fair hair and light beard. His eyes were bright blue, like his sisters, and Persephone had been infatuated with him in her younger years.

"How are you? I haven't seen in you in so long!" exclaimed Eos in her soft voice. Helios answered for Persephone, his eyes twinkling mischeviously.

"You never see her because she sleeps so late! I've never known a lazier goddess!"

Persephone swatted Helios' arm playfully, and the four laughed. Selene, who had obviously had more wine than the rest of them, spilled her full wineglass all over her dark blue gown.

"Oh no!" she exclaimed, her eyes brimming with sudden tears. With a flick of her hand, the wine on her dress was gone, but she was still teary as she stumbled off to refill her glass. Her siblings watched her worriedly. Helios shook his head.

"The poor girl has been a bit out of sorts lately" he sighed. Eos nodded sadly. Persephone winced. All three of them knew the cause, but didn't say it aloud.

Selene had recently confided in Persephone that she had asked Zeus to grant Endymion eternal sleep, so she could admire him forever. When Eos had fallen in love with a mortal, she had asked Zeus to grant him eternal life. However, instead of remaining young and handsome forever, as the gods did, he had withered into an old man, continuing to grow more and more decrepit until he took the form of a grasshopper. Eos kept him in a small box in the corner of the palace the three siblings shared, where he chirped sadly and the three tried not to speak of it.

Learning from her sister's mistake, Selene had asked for another way to keep her love alive forever. However, Selene confessed to Persephone how sad she grew sometimes, and how she would bear his children but he would never see them. _Falling in love with a mortal_, Persephone thought, _must be the most agonizing thing in the world_. There was no way to give them a lifespan like a god had. Thus, Selene was doomed to these feelings as long as her heart remained with Endymion.

The silence hung in the air uncomfortably, until Dionysus strode up to them, his handsome face flushed and a laurel wreath sitting askew in his jet-black hair.

"My young friends! Are you enjoying yourselves? More wine?"

Persephone was impressed that Dionysus could even form a sentence, being as drunk as he obviously was. Helios answered for all of them, engaging Dionysus in jovial conversation.

Eos turned to Persephone and smiled. Shy by nature, Eos had never been much of a talker. She and Persephone sipped their wine in silence until Selene returned, with a half-full glass of wine.

"Sephie! There's-there's something I need to tell you!"

"Careful Selene, don't fall!" Persephone and Eos caught Selene as she stumbled forward. "'M fine, I…Sephie, I have to tell you something."

"What is it Selene? Are you alright?" Persephone asked worriedly.

"I'm fine…Sephie…Apollo's saying he-he's going to marry you!"


	6. Chapter 5

_**A/N:**__** Sorry that this chapter is so short! I've been busy with job interviews and just hanging out with friends, and also I kind of feel like this part of the story is a moot point anyway (I mean, we all know how they solve the problem). But I am very excited to write about her experiences in the Underworld, so the next chapter will be longer, I promise! Read and review, and thank you so much to those who continue to read and leave lovely messages! Love you all!**_

* * *

The next night in the forest, Hades arrived as quickly as he could. Often, he would arrive late, busy as he was with judging souls in the Underworld. But as soon as he received the panicked note from Persephone, he left for the forest as quickly as possible. He found his lover sobbing, her tears causing a steady downpour of rain in the forest.

"My own darling, what troubles you?" he asked, taking her face in his hands.

Persephone continued to weep, her words indecipherable. Hades sighed. He knew that she had the tendency to be a bit temperamental as she was, after all, still so young (or at least, not as far along in her immortality as he was). But he held her fast in his arms, stroking her hair until she calmed enough the get the words out. And when he heard them, he felt a sort of sick sadness that he had never felt before.

"I think I may be getting married."

* * *

What had happened was this. Everyone grew drunker and drunker at Dionysus' gathering, even Demeter. And when Apollo, also drunk, approached her talk about Persephone's marriage, Demeter did not shut him down as quickly as she would have sober. Then, Zeus joined the conversation, and things took a turn for the worse. Zeus (with heavy insinuation) strongly suggested Demeter let Persephone marry so she would be able to share the bed with more than just her husband. After talking in circles, and a more or less direct demand from Zeus himself, Apollo was given permission to court Persephone with the intent of marriage.

"What are we going to do?" whimpered Persephone, looking up at her lover with teary eyes. He knew the second he met those eyes that he could never let her go.

"Be my wife. Marry me."

* * *

Zeus would have been the first to admit that his intentions for marrying Persephone off were less than honorable. But as he watched his daughter mature into the rapturous beauty she became, he was unable to stop himself. So he decided to give in to his desires, like he always did, and hurry the child into someone else's marriage bed.

The main problem, of course, was Demeter. _A beautiful woman_, Zeus thought to himself, _but a hassle nonetheless_. _But then_, he chuckled inwardly, _aren't they all?_

But not even Demeter could resist an order directly from Zeus himself, so when he told her to let Persephone marry, she had no choice but to begrudgingly allow it.

However, Demeter was doing all she could to sway Persephone's mind. After all, Artemis had asked Zeus permission to be a maiden forever and he had grnated it. He would be considered unjust if he did not do the same for Persephone. Demeter thought the key to saving her daughters purity was to make Persephone want to save it herself.

That afternoon, she had arranged for Athena and Artemis to accompany Persephone in Demeter's place for one of their daily trips down to the meadows of Earth. Demeter hoped the two unmarried goddesses would talk some sense into her daughter. And while Athena was no virgin, she was still no one's wife.

What Demeter did not know, however, was that she had unwillingly arranged the perfect situation for Persephone's escape.

* * *

"'Sephone, are you listening?"

Persephone absentmindedly nodded at her cousin Artemis. As a matter of fact, she had not been listening, nor did she really want to listen. She was anxious. Any minute now it would be time.

"Anyways, as I was saying, I've never really felt the need to be with a man, my heart is with the hunt and the wild, and you have so much connection with the natural world yourself, 'Sephone."

Persephone was not fond of her cousin, Artemis. Having grown up a pampered beauty, Persephone did not approve of Artemis' tomboyish ways. She disliked her dismissal of beauty and decorum. But most of all, she disliked that Artemis hunted the animals that Persephone loved so much.

_It's not as if she's not pretty_, thought Persephone, looking at her cousin. Indeed, with her nearly black hair and bright blue eyes, she was a stunning beauty. But she spent all her time romping in the woods and killing the poor creatures Persephone adored. Persephone stubbornly thought that she didn't care if hunting was "just sport", as Artemis once said. The animals were beings, too.

Another reason marrying Apollo would've been dreadful, Persephone realized, was that Artemis would've been her sister in law. She shuddered inwardly at the thought.

As Artemis babbled on, Athena contributed little. Persephone got the strong feeling that Athena would rather be doing something more productive with her time. She had come as a favor to Demeter, whom she liked and respected, but was very obviously not really interested in persuading Persephone. Her gray eyes kept wandering to the distance as she thought of something else. She did not absentmindedly wind her dark blonde hair around her finger when she was lost in thought, something Aphrodite and Persephone both favored. She instead pursed her lips and would sometimes mouth things silently to herself, as her enormous mind was hard at work. Persephone wondered what it would be like to be that intelligent.

Athena would toss out the occasional thought about how much she enjoyed not being owned by a man, but Athena was perceptive. She knew right away that Persephone's heart wasn't in the conversation.

_If the poor thing wants to marry, let her marry_, thought Athena. _And let us have done with this whole situation._

Meanwhile, Persephone glanced anxiously around. The meadow remained calm, peaceful. No sign of Hades anywhere.

The two had concocted a plan once Persephone told Hades the news of her imminent marriage. When Persephone was taking her daily walk in the meadow with her mother, Hades would put her mother to sleep and take Persephone to the underworld with him. In a turn of events, Athena and Artemis were asked to accompany Persephone instead of her mother. This would actually be beneficial, since it would be much easier for Persephone to get away from the two of them than her mother. Even if Athena was the most intelligent of the gods, she could not match Demeter's ability to watch her daughters every step.

"And he saw me bathing in the pool! I swear, men have no propriety, especially not mortal men. So- oh, it looks like it may rain."

Artemis broke off from telling her story to point towards the sky, where clouds had gathered over the sun, causing a shadow to pass. Persephone felt a rush of excitement. This was the signal. It was time.

Suddenly, Artemis fell to the ground where she stood, and Athena shortly after. The two goddesses lay in a deep, the corners of their mouths upturned peacefully. Persephone felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She turned and there he was, Hades, the man she loved.

"Oh my darling! I thought you'd never get here!" Persephone exclaimed as she burrowed into the safety of his chest. He ran his hands up and down her back as he feld her fast.

"My impatient little love. I would never fail you." He smiled down at the lovely deity in his arms, soon to be his forever. "Shall we depart?"

She nodded, her face illuminated with brilliant happiness. He picked her up, bridal style, and carried her to his chariot waiting nearby. With a spectacular flash, the ground opened up. Hades readied his chariot and gave his love a small smile.

"To the Underworld."


End file.
